619. But it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.- That this signifies exterior delight, is evident from the signification of the mouth, as denoting what is exterior, for the subject here treated of is the little book, and the eating of it up; by the little book is signified the Word, and by eating it up are signified perception and exploration, whence by the mouth, which first receives, is meant the external of the Word; and from the signification of "sweet as honey," as denoting the delight of natural good. The reason why the external of the Word was sweet as honey, that is, thus delightful, was, that it is of such a nature as to be capable of application to any love whatever, and to any principle thence conceived; and these can be confirmed by it. The reason why the external of the Word, which is the sense of the letter is such, is that many things therein are written according to appearances with the natural man, and many appearances, if not interiorly understood, are fallacies, like the fallacies of the senses. Those therefore who love to live for the body and the world, use the external of the Word by means of those appearances to confirm evils of life and falsities of faith.

[2] This was especially the case with the sons of Jacob, who applied all things of the Word to themselves, and from the sense of the letter maintained that belief, which they also retain to this day, that they were chosen in preference to others, and were therefore a holy nation; they believed that their Jerusalem, and its temple, the ark, the altar, the sacrifices, with innumerable other things, were of themselves holy, not knowing or being willing to know, that the holiness of all those things consisted solely in the fact that they represented Divine things proceeding from the Lord, which are called celestial and spiritual, and are the holy things of heaven and the church, and that to think them to be holy of themselves, and not from the Divine things which they represented, was to falsify and adulterate the Word by applying it to themselves and to their own loves. The case was similar in regard to their faith concerning the Messiah, which was, that He would be king of the world, and raise them above all the nations and peoples in the whole world; not to mention other things which they gathered from the mere sense of the letter of the Word, which were to them as sweet as honey in the mouth. For this reason those things that are in the spiritual sense of the Word are undelightful, for in that sense are truths themselves, and these are not according to appearances; as for example, that that nation was not holy, but worse than every other nation, consequently that it was not a chosen nation; that the city of Jerusalem merely signifies the church of the Lord, and doctrine concerning Him and concerning the holy things of heaven and the church; and that the temple, the ark, the altar, and the sacrifices, represented the Lord and the holy things proceeding from Him, and that their holiness was from this and no other source. These are the truths stored up interiorly in the sense of the letter of the Word, that is, in its internal spiritual sense. These truths they deny, because, as stated, they falsified and adulterated the Word in the sense of the letter, and therefore they are undelightful to them like food that is bitter in the belly.

[3] It is said that the little book should be in the mouth sweet as honey, because honey signifies the delight of natural good. That honey signifies that delight is evident from the following passages.

Thus, in Ezekiel:

It was said to the prophet, "Open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee. And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent unto me; and lo, a roll of a book was therein. And when he had spread it before me, it was written before and behind; and there were written thereon lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Then he said unto me, Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. And he said unto me, Cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. And when I ate it, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And then he said unto me, Go unto the house of Israel, and speak my words unto them" (2:8-10; 3:1-4).

These words involve things similar to those in the Apocalypse. The command given to the prophet Ezekiel to eat the roll of the book, involves the same thing as the command to John to eat the little book, that is to say, exploration as to how the Divine Truth which is in the Word is as yet received, perceived, and appropriated by those who are of the church. For as the prophet Ezekiel and John represented the doctrine of truth and the Word, exploration was therefore made with them. The reason why this was done by eating a book is, that to eat signifies to perceive and thus to appropriate to oneself, as shown above; and when exploration was made as to the manner in which the Word was as yet perceived, it is then said to the prophet Ezekiel, that, he should go unto the house of Israel and speak the words of God unto them, also to the prophet John, that he must prophesy, that is, as yet teach the Word in the church; and this because in his mouth the book was perceived to be as sweet as honey, that is, because the Word as to the sense of the letter, is yet delightful, though only so for the reason that this sense can be used in favour of any principle of falsity whatever, and of any loves of evil whatever, and thus serve to confirm the delights of the natural life separated from the delights of the spiritual life, which, when separated, are merely delights of the loves of the body and of the world, whence arise principles of falsity from fallacies.

[4] Again, in Isaiah:

"A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name God with us. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good" (7:14, 15).

That these words are spoken of the Lord may be seen proved in Matthew (1:23). Any one may see that butter and honey there mentioned do not mean butter and honey, but something Divine corresponding [to them], for it follows, "that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good," and this is not known by eating butter and honey. But by butter is signified the delight of spiritual good, and by honey, the delight of natural good, consequently the spiritual Divine and the natural Divine of the Lord are signified by these, thus His interior and exterior Human. That the Lord's Human is what is meant is evident from its being said that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and that it is Divine, is evident from the words, "and shall call his name God with us," to call a name denoting quality, here Divine quality, for he was to be called God with us.

[5] Butter and honey also signify the delight of spiritual and natural good in these words in the same chapter:

"Butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land" (ver. 22).

Those left in the land mean those who are interiorly and also exteriorly good from the Lord, consequently those who receive good proceeding from the Lord in truths; the blessedness therefore of the internal or spiritual man, and also of the external or natural, is signified by butter and honey.

[6] Thus also in Job:

"He shall suck the poison of asps; the viper's tongue shall slay him. He shall not see the brooks, the flowings of the torrents of honey and butter" (20:16, 17).

These things are said concerning hypocrites, who speak well and smoothly concerning God, their neighbour, and also heaven and the church, when nevertheless they think quite differently; and because they can thus cunningly devise how to captivate the minds of others, although in their heart they cherish what is infernal, it is said, "He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him." That these have no delight in natural good or spiritual good, is meant by, He shall not see the brooks, the flowings of the torrents of honey and butter, rivers denoting those things that pertain to intelligence, and the flowings of the torrents of honey and butter, those that pertain thence to the affection and love, which are the very delights of heavenly life. All the delight of life which remains to eternity is the delight of spiritual good and truth, and thence of natural good and truth, whereas hypocritical delight is a natural delight separated from spiritual delight, but this delight, in another life, is turned into what is direfully infernal. That butter and honey in this passage also do not mean butter and honey, is evident, for where in the world are flowings of torrents of honey and butter found?

[7] The signification of butter and honey is similar to that of milk and honey. And since milk signifies the delight of spiritual good, and honey, the delight of natural good, and these delights are enjoyed by those who are of the church of the Lord, therefore the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was called "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8, 17; Leviticus 20:24; Num. 13:27; 14:8; Deuteronomy 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20; Joshua 5:6; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6). That the land of Canaan in the Word means the church was shown above (n. 29, 304:59, 431:9). And the church is with those only who are in spiritual good and at the same time in natural good; the church is formed in these by the Lord. For the church is in man, and not outside of him, consequently, not with those who do not possess those goods; these goods with their delights are signified by milk and honey.

[8] That in the land of Canaan there was also much honey at that period, because the church of the Lord was there then, is evident from the First Book of Samuel, where it is said, that they came into a wood where were honey upon the faces of the ground, and a stream of honey, and that the eyes of Jonathan were opened from tasting of the honey (14:25-27, 29). The reason why Jonathan's eyes were opened by his tasting of the honey was, that honey corresponds to natural good and its delight, and this good imparts intelligence and enlightens, consequently Jonathan knew that he had done evil; as is said in Isaiah, that he shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For correspondences at that time manifested their effect, since all things of the Israelitish church existed from correspondences, by which things celestial and spiritual were represented and signified.

[9] The signification of butter and honey is similar to that of oil and honey in the following passages.

Thus in Moses:

"He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the increase of the fields; he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock" (Deuteronomy 32:13).

These words occur in the song of Moses, in which the subject treated of is the church in its beginning and afterwards in its progression, and at length at its end. Those who formed the Ancient Church are described by these words, but not those who constituted the Israelitish Church, for the latter were evil from the beginning even to the end, as is evident from their fathers in Egypt, and afterwards in the wilderness. But the Ancient Church, the men of which are meant by their fathers, was that which the Lord caused to ride upon the high places of the earth, and fed with the increase of the fields. That the good of natural love and the good of spiritual love, with their delights, were imparted to them by means of truths, from which their intelligence was derived, and according to which was their life, is signified by, he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock, honey denoting the delight of natural love, oil the delight of spiritual love, and the rock, and the stone of the rock, truth from the Lord. That oil signifies the good of love and of charity, may be seen above (n. 375), and that rock and stone signify truth from the Lord (n. 411, 443).

[10] So in David:

"I fed them with the fat of wheat, and with honey out of the rock I satisfied them" (Psalm 81:16).

The fat of wheat also signifies the delight of spiritual good, and honey out of the rock, the delight of natural good by means of truths from the Lord, as above. It must be observed, that natural good is not good, unless it be also spiritual good. For all good inflows through the spiritual man or mind into the natural man or mind, and so far as the natural man or mind receives the good of the spiritual man or mind, so far he receives good. There must be both, or both sides, in order to constitute good; wherefore natural good separated from spiritual good is in itself evil, which nevertheless is perceived by man as good. Since there must be both therefore in the passages quoted, and in those still to be quoted, mention is made of butter and honey, milk and honey, fat and honey, and also of oil and honey; and butter, milk, fat and oil, signify the good of spiritual love, and honey, the good of natural love, together with their delights.

[11] Again, in Ezekiel:

"Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen and silk, and needlework; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil; whence thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. But my bread which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set before idols for an odour of rest" (16:13, 19).

These things are said concerning Jerusalem, by which is signified the church, first the Ancient Church, and afterwards the Israelitish Church. It is said of the Ancient Church, that she was decked with gold and silver, which signifies, the love of good and truth with the men of the church. The raiment of fine linen, silk, and needlework, signifies the cognitions of celestial, spiritual, and natural truth; fine linen signifies truth from a celestial origin, silk, truth from a spiritual origin, and needlework, truth from a natural origin, which is called scientific [truth]. By eating fine flour, honey, and oil, are signified the perception of truth and good natural and spiritual, and the appropriation of them; to eat denoting to be appropriated, fine flour denoting truth, honey, natural good, and oil spiritual good, which were appropriated to them by a life according to the truths above mentioned. By becoming exceedingly beautiful and prospering into a kingdom, is signified to become intelligent and wise, so as to constitute a church from these, beauty denoting intelligence and wisdom, and a kingdom signifying a church. But concerning the Israelitish Church, which was merely in externals without internals, whence the men of that church were idolatrous, it is said, that they placed the fine flour, honey, and oil, before images of a male, or of idols, for an odour of rest, that is, that they turned the truths and goods of the church into falsities and evils, and thus profaned them.

[12] Again, in the same prophet:

"Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy traders; they traded in the wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm" (27:17).

This is spoken of Tyre, which signifies the church as to the cognitions of truth and good, therefore also by Tyre are signified the cognitions of truth and good pertaining to the church; by oil and honey are signified things similar to those above. The meaning in the spiritual sense of Judah, and the land of Israel, also of wheat of Minnith and pannag, and balsam, also of the trading of Tyre, may be seen explained above (n. 433:22).

[13] Again, in Moses:

"A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of the valley and mountain; a land of wheat and barley, and the vine, and the fig-tree, and pomegranate; a land of oil, olive, and honey" (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8).

These things are said concerning the land of Canaan, by which is understood the church which is in celestial, spiritual, and natural good, and thence in truths; but the details of this verse are explained above (n. 374:7, 403:11), where it is shown, that oil and honey signify the good of love in the internal or spiritual man and in the external or natural man.

[14] So in David:

"The judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are just altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:9, 10).

In the same,

"I have not departed from thy judgments, for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words to my palate! [Sweeter] than honey to my mouth" (Psalm 119:102, 103).

The judgments of Jehovah signify the truths and goods of worship; therefore it is said, "the judgments of Jehovah are truth, they are just altogether"; just being used in reference to the good of life and worship therefrom. And as good is also signified by gold and fine gold, it is therefore said, that they are more desirable than gold and than much fine gold, gold denoting celestial good, fine gold, spiritual good, while desirable denotes what is of affection and love. Since the goods with which a man is affected are also delightful, therefore it is said, that they are sweeter than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb, and that the words of the Lord are sweet to the palate and [sweeter] than honey to the mouth, sweet denoting what is delightful, honey, natural good, the droppings of the honeycomb, natural truth, and because honey signifies natural good, and the mouth the external, therefore it is said [sweeter] than honey to my mouth; as in the Apocalypse, that the little book was sweet as honey in the mouth.

[15] So in Luke:

Jesus said to His disciples, when they believed that they saw a spirit, "Behold, my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Then he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat it before them" (24:39, 41-43).

From this series of words regarded in their spiritual sense it is evident, that honeycomb and honey signify natural good, for the Lord showed His disciples that He had glorified or made Divine His whole Human, even as to its Natural and Sensual. This is signified by the hands and feet, and by the flesh and bones, which they saw and felt; the hands and feet, signify the ultimate of man, called the Natural, the flesh signifies its good, and the bones signify its truth. For everything in the human body corresponds to spiritual things, the flesh to the good of the natural man, and the bones to its truths. More may be seen concerning this correspondence in Heaven and Hell 87-102). The Lord also proved this by eating of the broiled fish and also of the honeycomb in the presence of His disciples, the broiled fish signifying the truth of the good of the natural and sensual man, and the honeycomb, the good of truth of the same, therefore the Lord by being touched (palpationem) showed and proved that His whole Human, even to its ultimates, was glorified, that is, was made Divine; and [this He showed too] by eating, in that He ate in their presence a piece of a broiled fish and of an honeycomb.

[16] Since honey signifies the good of the natural man, therefore also John the Baptist

"had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey" (Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6).

The reason of this was, that John the Baptist represented the same as Elias, therefore also it was said, that Elias should come, by whom was meant John. Elias represented the Lord as to the Word, or the Word which is from the Lord; and similarly John. And because the Word teaches that the Messiah or the Lord was about to come, therefore John was sent before to preach concerning the coming of the Lord, according to the predictions of the Word. And because John represented the Word, therefore the ultimates of the Word, which are natural, were represented by John, by his clothing, and also by his food, that is, by having his raiment of camel's hair, and the leathern girdle about his loins. For camel's hair signifies the ultimates of the natural man, such as are the exteriors of the Word, and the leathern girdle about his loins, their external bond and connection with the interior things of the Word, which are spiritual. Similar things are signified by locust and wild honey; by locust, is signified the truth of the natural man, and by wild honey, its good. Whether we speak of the truth and good of the natural man, or of natural truth and good, such as the Word is in its ultimate sense, called the sense of the letter, or natural sense, it is the same thing, for John represented this by his clothing and food.

[17] The reason why neither leaven, nor honey, was used in the offerings made by fire to Jehovah (Leviticus 2:11), was, that leaven signifies the falsity of the natural man, and honey, the delight of the good of the natural man, and, in the opposite sense, the delight of his evil, which also is like leaven when it is mingled with those things that signify things of a holy interior nature. For natural delight derives its all from the delights of the love of self and the love of the world. And because the Israelitish nation was in those delights more than other nations, therefore it was forbidden them to use honey in their sacrifices. More may be seen concerning the signification of honey, as denoting the delight of the good of the natural man, in the Arcana Coelestia 5620, 6857, 8056, 10137, 10530).

[18] It is recorded of Samson, that, after he had rent the young lion, and taken a wife from the nation of the Philistines, he found "a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion" (Judges 14:8). This circumstance signified the dissipation of faith separated from charity, which the Philistine nation represented. It was on this account that the Philistines were called the uncircumcised, and this name signifies that they were without spiritual love and charity, and were only in natural love, which is the love of self and of the world. Such faith, because it destroys the good of charity, was represented by the young lion, which attacked Samson with intent to tear him in pieces; but Samson, because he was a Nazarite, and by his Nazariteship represented the Lord as to His ultimate Natural, rent the lion in pieces, and afterwards found in his carcase a swarm of bees and honey, which signified, that after such faith is dissipated, the good of charity succeeds in its place. Similar things were represented and signified by the rest of the acts related of Samson in the Book of Judges. For nothing is written in the Word which does not represent and signify such things as pertain to heaven and the church, and these can be understood only from the knowledge (scientia) of correspondences, and thence from the spiritual sense of the Word.

444. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.- That this signifies good works, is evident from the representation, and hence signification, of Levi and his tribe, as denoting spiritual love which is called charity towards the neighbour. The tribe of Levi here signifies good works, because spiritual love or charity consists in doing goods, which are good works. Charity itself, considered in itself, is the affection for truth and good, and where that affection is, there a life according to truths and goods is found, for affection without a life according to the truths and goods by which it is bestowed has no existence; if it be thought to exist and to be present, it is a natural, not a spiritual affection. These two affections differ in this, that natural affection has for its end self and the world. Therefore the truths and goods with which a man is then affected he loves for his own reputation's sake, in order to obtain honours and wealth, in which case the life which he lives, according to the doctrinals he had learned, is merely put on from self for the sake of appearance and therefore is a life of pretence and interior hypocrisy. But spiritual affection has for its end the Lord, heaven, and eternal life, which it looks to in truths and goods, and so loves truths and goods spiritually. When a man possesses this affection he then loves to think and to will those things, consequently to live according to them. To live according to goods and truths is meant in the Word by doing, and the life itself, by the deeds and works so frequently mentioned in the Word. These things, therefore, are represented and signified by Levi and his tribe in the church with the Jews.

[2] Because this affection is the very essential of the church, therefore the tribe of Levi was made the priesthood; and the staff of Levi in the tent of the assembly blossomed with almonds; and for the same reason, an inheritance was not given to that tribe as to the other tribes, but [it was] amongst each of them. That the tribe of Levi was made the priesthood, is well known; for not only was Aaron made the chief priest, but also his sons succeeded him, and all the Levites were given them for the purpose of ministering. That Moses and Aaron were of the tribe of Levi, may be seen in Exodus (6:20); Numbers (18:2); and that the Levites were appointed to be ministers of Aaron and his sons, is seen in Moses. The tribe of Levi was chosen for the priesthood to keep the charge of the whole assembly before the tent of the congregation to do the service of the Tabernacle; and the Levites were given to Aaron, and taken instead of all the first-born.

[3] Concerning their ministry and offices see Numbers (3:1 to end). The priesthood was given to the tribe of Levi, because it represented, and thence signified, love and charity.

Love and charity are the affection for spiritual good and truth; for affection is the term used of love in its continuity, affection being the continuity of love. The same is also signified in the Word by the priesthood and its ministry. For this affection is the essential of the church, since where that is, there is the church, and where it does not exist the church does not exist. For the affection for good and truth is the very spiritual life of man, because when man is affected with good and truth, he is then in good and truth as to his life; his very thought is then nothing but affection in a varied form, for a man draws whatever he thinks, from his thought, since no one can think without affection. This then is the reason why the tribe of Levi was appointed to the priesthood. A similar thing is related of the Levites in Ezekiel, where a new earth, a new city, and a new temple are treated of (40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11, 12).

[4] Because the tribe of Levi represented, and thence signified, charity in act, thus the goods of charity, which are good works, therefore the staff of Levi upon which was written the name of Aaron, and which was placed in the tent of the congregation, bloomed with almonds (Num. 17:2-11). Almonds signify the goods of charity, for all things of the church in man flourish from these, because when he possesses the goods of charity, he possesses intelligence and faith, being in the affection of understanding what he knows from the Word, and in the will to act according to what he knows. Since it is necessary for the good of charity to be in all things of the church, in order that the church may be in them, and because the very affection for good and truth, which is charity, gives the power to understand, and instructs all, therefore the tribe of Levi was not only appointed to the priesthood, but also neither lot nor inheritance was granted to that tribe as to the rest, but it was amongst all, as is evident in Moses (Num. 35:1 to end; and in Joshua 21:1 to end). On this account it is said in Moses,

"Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; Jehovah is his inheritance" (Deuteronomy 10:9).

[5] And because, as we have stated, every man acquires knowledge, intelligence and wisdom, according to his affection for good and truth, therefore it is also said in Moses,

"Jehovah God hath chosen" the sons of Levi "to minister unto him, and to bless in his name; and according to their mouth shall every controversy and every stroke be" (Deuteronomy 21:5).

These words, in the spiritual sense, signify that the affection for good and truth, which is charity, ministers to the Lord, and teaches the things pertaining to the church and worship, and distinguishes falsities from truths, and evils from goods; for "the sons of Levi," in the spiritual sense, signify the affection for good and truth, which is charity. From these observations it is evident that the tribe of Levi was chosen for the priesthood, and had an inheritance among all the tribes, not because that tribe was better than the rest, but because it represented charity in act, and good works, which are the effects of all good and truth in man.

[6] That the tribe of Levi signifies in the Word the goods of charity, which are good works, is also evident from the following passages.

In Jeremiah:

"In those days, and at that time, will I cause a just branch of David to grow up; and he shall execute judgment and justice in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby He shall be called, Jehovah our Justice. There shall not be cut off from David a man sitting upon the throne of the house of Israel; and from the priests, the Levites there shall not be cut off a man from before my faces to offer the burnt-offering, and to kindle the meat-offering, and to do sacrifice continually. If ye shall render vain my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, then will also my covenant become of no effect with David my servant, that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. As the host of the heavens is not numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites my ministers" (Jeremiah 33:15-17, [18,] 20-22).

Here the subject is the coming of the Lord, who is the branch of David, and is called Jehovah our Justice. That Judah shall then be saved, and Israel dwell safely, signifies that then those will be saved who are in love to the Lord. That Israel shall dwell safely signifies that then those who are in charity towards their neighbour will not be infested by evils and falsities. There shall not be cut off from David a man sitting upon the throne of the house of Israel, signifies that then Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord shall reign continually in the church, the throne of the house of Israel denoting the church where it reigns. And from the priests the Levites there shall not be cut off a man from before my faces to offer the burnt-offering, and to kindle the meat-offering, and to do sacrifice continually, signifies, that then there shall be worship continually from the good of love and charity, and from the truths of faith.

[7] The Levites signify those who are in such worship; the burnt-offering signifies worship from the good of love; the meat-offering worship from the good of charity towards the neighbour; and the sacrifice, worship from the truths of faith. If ye shall render vain my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night signifies if they did not observe these two things, which make conjunction with the Lord, love and faith; covenant denotes conjunction; the covenant of the day, conjunction by love, and the covenant of the night, conjunction by faith. Then will also my covenant become of no effect with David my servant, that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests my ministers, signifies that then they would have neither Divine truth, nor Divine Good. The Levites the priests and ministers are those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in worship thence. As the host of the heavens is not numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured, signifies the knowledges of truth and good in the spiritual and natural man, the host of heaven denoting those knowledges in the spiritual man, and the sand of the sea the same in the natural man. So will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites my ministers, signifies the multiplication of Divine Truth, and the fructification of Divine Good, in those who have conjunction with the Lord. The Levites, the priests, here and elsewhere in the Word, signify those who are in the good of love and charity, and in the abstract sense that good itself.

[8] In Malachi:

"Behold, I send my angel, who shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, and the angel of the covenant whom ye desire; for he is as a refiner's fire, and as fuller's soap; and he shall sit refining and purifying the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to Jehovah a meat-offering in justice. Then shall the meat-offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to Jehovah, according to the days of an age, and according to the former years" (3:1-4).

The signification of these things in the spiritual sense may be seen explained above (n. 242:9 and 433:12), where it is shown that by the sons of Levi are meant all those who are in the good of charity, and thence in the good of faith. The subject is the coming of the Lord. His Divine Human is meant by His temple, to which Jehovah the Lord shall come; and that He would purify those who are in the good of charity, and thence in the good of faith, is meant by His purifying and purging the sons of Levi. That the sons of Levi themselves are not meant is evident, for it is said that He shall then purify and purge them, and that the meat-offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall then be pleasant to Jehovah. It is known that the Lord did not purify and purge the Levites; nor was the meat-offering of Judah and Jerusalem pleasant to the Lord, for they were altogether against the Lord, and worship by sacrifices and meat-offering was at that time abrogated. For by Judah there, is meant all who are in the good of love to the Lord, and by Jerusalem the church which is in truths of doctrine; see above (n. 433).

[9] Again, in Moses:

"And of Levi he said, thy Thummim and thy Urim, to thy holy man whom thou didst prove in Massah, and with whom thou didst strive, at the waters of Meribah; who said to his father and to his mother, I have not seen you; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor know his sons; for they shall guard thy word, and they shall keep thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law; they shall put incense to thy nostril, and whole burnt-sacrifice upon thine altar. And accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again" (Deuteronomy 33:8-11).

These words occur in the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses, in which the subject treated of is the Word, which in the representative sense is signified by Moses. By Urim and Thummim is signified Divine Truth shining forth from Divine Good, therefore the Word; and by Levi is meant the spiritual affection for truth. The holy man whom they tempted in Massah, and at the waters of Meribah, means the Lord as to Divine Truth, for the rock at which that temptation took place signifies the Lord, and the waters issuing thence signify Divine truths. The father and mother to whom he said, "I have not seen you," signify the Israelitish church, which did not acknowledge the Lord, the church being called father from good, and mother from truth. His brethren whom he did not acknowledge, and his sons whom he knew not, mean the goods and truths of the church, which that church did not possess, brethren denoting goods, and sons denoting truths.

[10] But because the sons of Levi signify the goods and truths of the church, and generally, the spiritual affection for truth and good, it is therefore said of them, they shall guard thy word, and keep thy covenant; they shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law. This signifies that those who are in the spiritual affection for truth act according to the Word, and teach the goods and truths of the church, for it is the spiritual affection for truth that itself acts and teaches, because the Lord flows into that affection, doing the good in man, and teaching truth in him. The Word in this passage is the Divine Truth, and "to guard it" means to act, covenant denoting conjunction with the Lord by means of it. Judgments are truths of doctrine from the Word; the law is the good of truth; Jacob and Israel are the church. They shall put incense to thy nostril, signifies worship from the truths of doctrine; and whole burnt-sacrifice upon thine altar, signifies worship from the good of love. Smite through the loins of them that rise against him, signifies the dissipation of falsities by truths; and smite through the loins of them that hate him, that they rise not again, signifies the dissipation of evils. These things are said concerning Levi, because Divine Truth, which is the Word, is in those only who are in the spiritual affection for truth. The spiritual affection for truth is love for the truth itself, and esteem for it above every good of the world, because by means of it man has eternal life, which can be implanted in him only by means of truths, therefore by means of the Word, for the Lord teaches truths by the Word. The spiritual affection for truth, which is love for truths above every good of the world, is thus described by the Lord in Matthew:

"The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls; who, when, he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (13:45, 46).

A pearl signifies truth. That man cannot have eternal life except by means of truths from good, which is from the Lord, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 24, to the end).

[11] That Levi signifies love and charity is evident from the words of his mother Leah when she bare him, which are these:

And Leah "conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my man (vir) adhere unto me, because I have borne him three sons; therefore she called his name Levi" (Genesis 29:34).

She conceived again and bare a son, signifies spiritual conception and birth; and said, Now this time will my man (vir) adhere unto me, signifies spiritual love, by means of which conjunction takes place, or charity; because I have borne him three sons, signifies what is successive; therefore she called his name Levi, signifies conjunction by means of love and its quality. These things are further explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3873-3877). Levi signifies adhesion, and adhesion signifies conjunction by means of spiritual love. The three sons of Leah, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, born in the order named, signify in their series the chief and primary essentials of the church, truth in the understanding, truth in the will, and truth in act, like the three disciples of the Lord, Peter, James, and John. For Peter signifies truth in the understanding, James, truth in the will, and John, truth in act, which is the good of life, or the good of charity; and adhesion, which in the original tongue is called Levi, signifies conjunction by means of love and charity. That adhesion has this signification may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3875).

[12] That Levi in the highest sense signifies the Lord as to love and mercy, is evident in Malachi:

"And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi. My covenant of life and peace was with him; which I gave to him in fear, that he might fear me, therefore on account of my name he hath feared for himself. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips; he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity; the lips of the priest shall seek [the law] from his mouth; for he is the messenger (angelus) of Jehovah of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi" (Malachi 2:4-7,

[8]).

Here Levi, in the highest sense, means the Lord as to His Divine Human, for it is said of Levi, that "the law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips," that "the lips of the priest shall seek [the law] from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts." The covenant, therefore, of Levi means conjunction with the Lord by means of love and charity; the covenant of life and peace signifies that conjunction, and the fear which is also stated of Him, signifies love. The lips of the priest shall seek [the law] from his mouth "signifies, that all the truth of doctrine is from Him, and with those who are in love to Him. He is called the Angel of Jehovah from the Divine Truth which the Lord teaches in the Word and by means of the Word. Their departing out of the way, and causing many to stumble in the law, and corrupting the covenant of Levi, signifies that the church with the Israelites perverted the truths of the Word, and thence the goods of life, and therefore destroyed conjunction with the Lord; way signifying the truths of doctrine, the law, the goods thereof, and the covenant of Levi, conjunction with the Lord. From these things the signification of Levi and his tribe in the representative sense is evident, namely, the good of charity, which is the good of life, also the spiritual affection for good and truth, and, in the highest sense, the Lord as to spiritual love.

[13] Since most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so have Levi and his tribe, and in this sense Levi signifies the evil of falsity, which is contrary to the good of charity; and also a life without charity, consequently, the absence of charity towards the neighbour. This is signified by Levi in the prophecy of Israel concerning his sons:

"Simeon and Levi are brethren; weapons of violence are their swords; into their secret let not my soul come, in their congregation let not my glory be united; because in their anger they slew a man, and in their good pleasure they unstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was hard; I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel" (Genesis 49:5-7).

These words have been explained in the article above, where Simeon is treated of (n. 443:6).

[14] This opposite sense is also meant by the Levite in the Lord's parable concerning the man wounded by robbers. This parable shall be explained here, because it treats of charity towards the neighbour, and because the Lord spoke therein from beginning to end by correspondences, which have not hitherto been known.

A lawyer "willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, Who is my neighbour? Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead, and by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two-pence (denarii), and gave them to the host, and said, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the robbers? And he said, He that showed mercy unto him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise" (Luke 10:29-37).

The subject involved in these words is charity towards the neighbour, and good works by means of which charity is in its effect and fulness. Jerusalem there signifies the church in which there is true doctrine, and Jericho, the church which is in possession of the knowledges of good and truth. The priest from Jerusalem signifies those in whom there is no love to the Lord, and the Levite, those in whom there is no charity towards the neighbour, which was the character of the people of Jerusalem at that time; but the Samaritan signifies the Gentiles, who were in the good of charity. The man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho signifies those who are willing to be instructed in the truths and knowledges of the church; the robbers amongst whom he fell signify those who were then in the perverted church, such as the Jewish church was at that time. Their stripping him of his raiment, wounding him, and leaving him half dead, signifies that they deprived him of truths, instilled falsities into him, and injured him in regard to spiritual life to such a degree that scarcely any remained.

To strip any one of raiment, signifies in the Word to deprive him of truths; to wound, signifies to injure the mind and spiritual life by means of falsities; and to be half dead signifies until almost destitute of that life; to have compassion signifies to exercise mercy and charity from an interior [principle], for mercy and charity form one. To bind up the wounds, and to pour in oil and wine, signify to provide a remedy against the falsities which had injured his life, by means of instruction in the good of love and the truth of faith, oil in the Word signifying the good of love, and wine, the good and truth of faith. To set him upon his own beast, signifies according to the capacity of his understanding, a beast of burden having here a similar meaning to that of a horse, namely, the understanding. To bring him to an inn, and take care of him, signifies, to [bring him to] those who are better instructed in the knowledges of good and truth, for an inn is a place where meat and drink are bought, and these signify the knowledges of good and truth, and therefore that spiritual nourishment, which is given by instruction. His giving to the host two-pence (denarii), and saying to him, "Take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee," signifies the doing of all things of charity according to one's ability and power. From these things it is now evident what Levi, his tribe, and the Levites, signify in both senses. More may be seen concerning the representation and thence the signification of Levi, and the tribe named after him, in the Arcana Coelestia 3875, 3876, 3877, 4497, 4502, 4503, 6352, 10017).